I have one question about one organisation on the list (Group needed for single moms) — The Lodge! When you press on their link it comes up blank. Secret Society they are! Why is their link not working? (Or is it me doing something wrong trying to get it to work?)

Auntie’s answer: I will assume that you are referring to the Masonic Lodge of the freemasons and you are serious about wanting more information.

The Lodge does have the reputation of being secretive but whether it’s a sinister international organisation with evil influence over world affairs or just a bunch of mostly men aiming to be better people, which somehow involves strange rituals with weird dress-up, a secret handshake and the wearing of daft-looking aprons, is hotly disputed. Everyone loves a good conspiracy theory.

And there are plenty of theories about freemasonry to be found on the internet, so knock yourself out with those if you feel the need. However, if you want to find out about local freemasons, you can always ask one, as there do seem to be plenty about within the local business and political community.

Quite who they are, I cannot say without rather more investigation, but I can tell you that our premier is not just a member but was added to the roll of “Master Mason”, whatever that is, over the January-June 2015 period, as noted in the Masonic Lodge July 2015 newsletter (see page 4).

Cayman’s freemasons are actually part of the Jamaica chapter under the name, “District Grand Lodge of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands”. On their website (see here) they describe freemasonry as “a peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols”.

The site, however, states that freemasonry, which goes back hundreds of years, is not a secret society, then continues: “We take good men, and make them better. Freemasonry is a life-long commitment to improving the individual, and by extension therefore, the environment and communities within which we live.”

I will leave you to draw your own conclusions and suggest you read through the website. If you are so inspired, you can call the office of the district grand secretary in Jamaica at (876) 926-6018.

So guess we can’t call on UK to help us get free of this ‘gang’, Auntie? Or can we? Can the FCO appoint an Attorney General not associated with the Lodge?

Scary times because as much as we can welcome most Jamaicans if there are some controlling our politicians and leaders via Lodge how long can we last since the culture of corruption set up there is easily taking over here??

Will the Jamaicans NOT in Lodge stand with Caymanians to get rid of them to protect their futures too here in Cayman where they have been given chance to start over?

What about them??? They’re just play play pretenders, not the real deal even though their members would have you believe it. Basically they took freemasonry and changed around so many things to make it suit them. They are also not recognized by any masonic organization, they are known as “irregular” and “clandestine”. Meaning cannot attend anything to do with masons. They do use most of the same symbols, but as there are no copyright laws on symbols they can do that. And yes there are a couple of politrickans, a few business men, normal men, who are a part of the mechanics.

I know someone who is a lodge member. In his mind, it appears, he feels empowered by being a member. For what reason, I don’t know. It has not made him a better person (still an asshole), it has not improved his life in anyway. All he’s gotten are some make believe elevations and a ring he had to pay for. I’m convinced it just a meeting of men where they dress up, eat, perform strange rituals while the elder’s blow smoke up their a$$eS. I could be wrong but this is my observation.

Because of their belief in universal principles & freedoms Freemasons have been prosecuted and seen historically as threats by tyrants and despotic dictators. Intolerance towards Freemasons even emanated at one time from the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Various Roman Catholic Popes have published condemnations of Freemasonry, starting with Bull, In Eminenti, by Pope Clement XII, on 28 April, 1738. Although Roman Catholic Canon Law does not specifically mention Freemasonry, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Roman Catholic Church still views association as a serious sin. Furthermore, Freemasonry had been outlawed in Germany by Hitler and the Nazi’s during WW II, by Mussolini in 1925, by Franco in Spain in 1941, suppressed by the Communists of Russia, Romania and Hungary, and in Iran by the Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979. The countries where Freemasonry openly exists are in counties that are tolerant and more or less democratic.”

So since Cayman is democratic, either you are or want to be despotic to be against such a charitable organization. Usually it is people who are ignorant or have been rejected by an organization that ad mouths it.

In 1990 I worked on an investigation into allegations of questionable connections between freemasons and the police. These had all been officially denied and several senior police officers had gone on record denying that they had any involvement in freemasonry. The only problem with this was we had photographs of the same officers leaving a major gathering of freemasons in the company of lawyers, judges and career criminals. That story was killed off by the owners of the newspaper I was working for.

More recently in the UK we’ve had Operation Tiberius, a 2001/2 investigation into police corruption. That report was officially shredded but in the last couple of years copies have surfaced. Why was it originally buried? Because if the conclusions had been pushed they would have revealed deeply-rooted masonic connections between organised crime and the police. In fact what appears to have happened is that the delay in making the report public has allowed most of the more significant players to quietly retire before any formal investigation caught up with them.

But possibly the most damning indictment of the abuse of freemasonry was the Dunblane massacre on 13 March 1996. On that day Thomas Hamilton killed 16 children and one adult with handguns he legally held on a firearm certificate. Concerns about Hamilton had been reported to the police on numerous occasions since 1990/1 but despite this a senior police had rejected requests to revoke his firearm certificate and seize the handguns used in the massacre. Both Hamilton and the officer concerned were masons. The report of the inquiry was then sealed for 100 years but the then Home Secretary who was also a mason. Thankfully, after a lot of pressure that decision was partially reversed in 2005.

Is freemasonry good or bad? I don’t know but what I do know is it’s a culture open to abuse.

Any organization that hides away from the light can only be doing so for nefarious reasons. I have had more funny handshakes in Cayman than anywhere else in the world. All with people whom I would call morally and intellectually challenged.

i agree with sleezy low lifes they are! A prominent member shot and killed my dog and the police wouldn’t even investigate the crime nor collect the bullets retrieved from my dog at the vet no matter how much times the vet called the police to come and collect them. My other dog survived and lives with pellets in her scattered in her body. Bunch of low lifes!

All are Freemasons. There are many more in the Public Sector who protect each other including judges, police and chief officers.

Their children are also protected and none serve time for crimes committed like domestic abuse or road fatalities. Look at the owners of companies that get awarded the big contracts then connect the dots. The brothers look out for brothers.

I meant that the response was brilliant knowing that it was perfectly positioned to pull some interesting comments from the community, apart from yours.
I believe it succeeded in that. Go back to being negative. Over and out.

“We take good men and make them better” WOW! Well, if this is a precept of the local Masonic Lodge, they have seriously failed with a number of their members. I know at least a few persons who are Lodge members and who are of the lowest moral character – sleazy, corrupt, underhanded, dishonest, etc. “A peculiar system of morality” indeed!!

I don’t know the requirements for Masonic Lodge membership worldwide, but most members in Cayman join just to be protected and benefit from the favours afforded to members and the nepotism involved. What does that say about the moral character of such persons??!! Why does one need such “membership” benefits? Sleazy low-lifes!!

It was rumored that Alden McLaughlin joined two weeks before 2013 election and was inducted by a well-known retired insurance executive. Do your records indicate this?

YOU BET. All politicians….ALL…from little XXXXX boops all the way up to soft pants XXXX…Almost if not majority of the actual Policing officers who ‘know the know’ and ‘know the who’ – These guys can be shown out by the way they act usually, who they connect with obviously and then again the possession they seem to fly in and grab right away before ANY hardworking Caymanian could EVER get a chance (again reaping fruits that they have not planted), lets see…most if not all of the ‘goody two’ shoe Caymanians who always get bailed of ouf crime/traffice or any form of matter prior to even being arrested or put on bail to begin with (read again if you are lost). Other than that….no they are just making normal men superheros….I believe you but the statistics within the world dont!!!! ONE WORD: CORRUPTION? Alpha and Omega of Corruption lies within the and ANY lodge. NOTE THIS FROM A FIRST HAND FELLOW.

Anonymous 21/03/2016 at 10:00 am – This is the correct answer.
Makes you frightened to go to a lawyer or any authority since many of them belong. If you are not a part of this gang and their friends, do not expect to succeed very far before one of them stops you in your tracks.

Yes, Anonymous 21/03/2016 at 10:00 am, this right here! This should be in place on Wikipedia on OUR description of the lodge in the Cayman Islands.
I doubt I’d be inducted but I genuinely would not want to be associated with this group of ‘members’. My moral standards are much higher than any one of them.

What’s Happening in the Cayman Islands

The Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing (DVDL) offices will be closed on Wednesday, 18 September, to facilitate a staff meeting, training and team building exercises. All DVDL offices will resume business as usual on Thursday, 19 September.

The National Conservation Council will hold a general meeting on Wednesday, 11 September, starting at 2pm at the Government Administration Building room 2112 (2nd floor). The agenda for the meeting is attached below.

On Monday, 9 September, Fort Street will be closed between Harbour Drive and the junction with Edward Street (Clock Tower) in order to facilitate the Laying in State of the late John McLean, MLA. The closure will take place from 7:45am to 8:30am and again from 3:15pm to 4:00pm.

The Customs and Border Control Service (CBC) would like to inform customers of UPS who may be experiencing delays with receiving their imported goods that the delays are not caused by CBC. They are the result of a private commercial issue between two local on-island agents that provide services for UPS.

The Protocol Office requests individuals, businesses and organisations, who wish to lower their flags to half-mast ahead of the funeral of the late John McLean, MLA, to do so at 9.05am on Monday, 9 September.

The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association reminds all members that the September Social will take place on Tuesday 17 September at 7:00pm in the Seafarer’s Hall, 11 Victory Ave, Prospect. It is expected that all will wear their CISA shirts.

WORC (Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman) would like to inform the public that the extended hours offered on Wednesdays at the Immigration Headquarters will end as of Monday, 30 September. Normal office hours from 8:30am to 4:00pm will resume thereafter.

The Mercuryman Triathlon takes place on Sunday, 8 September, starting at 6:45am at Eden Rock on South Church Street, George Town. The bike portion of the event will begin in front of Eden Rock and participants will travel to East End via South Sound Road, Shamrock Road, Bodden Town Road, Sea View Road and the […]

The Department of Planning in the Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure will host an information session on the planning application and permit process at the Family Life Centre on Thursday, September 5, 2019, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The aim of the session will be to provide information and guidance on the planning process […]

By submitting a problem to cnslocallife.com, you grant Cayman News Service Ltd permission to publish it on our websites. Your full name and contact details will never be included or distributed. The advice columnist acting on behalf of Cayman News Service Ltd is expressing personal opinions and views and the advice offered is intended for […]